fichu

[ fish-oo; French fee-shy ]

noun

, plural fich·us [fish, -ooz, fee-, shy].

1. a woman's kerchief or shawl, generally triangular in shape, worn draped over the shoulders or around the neck with the ends drawn together on the breast.

fichu

/ ˈfiːʃuː /

noun

1. a woman's shawl or scarf of some light material, worn esp in the 18th century

Word History and Origins

Origin of fichu¹

1795–1805; < French: noun use of fichu, past participle of ficher to drive in, fix (informally, to throw, fling; hence, something put on hastily, loosely attached) < Vulgar Latin *fīgicāre, for Latin fīgere; finca

Word History and Origins

Origin of fichu¹

C19: from French: small shawl, from ficher to fix with a pin, from Latin fīgere to fasten, fix

Example Sentences

Mrs. Lawrence laid her smoothing hand absently on a frill of lace fichu above a sternly disciplined bosom at half-heave. '

From Project Gutenberg

Adjusting his eyeglasses, they slipped from his nose and fell on the lace of her fichu.

From Project Gutenberg

She was all in black, except a floating muslin cape or fichu, making a beholder despise the finery of the Empire.

From Project Gutenberg

The bride, who was a beautiful girl, wore a delaine dress of light and dark blue with a large white lace fichu.

From Project Gutenberg

The green chiffon crossed the shoulders in fichu effect, and the elbow-length sleeves were edged with bands of green.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• cloth
• scarf
• stole